1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for providing released energy to perform work. More particularly, the system and method of the present invention use hydrogen peroxide as an energy source in electric power and/or propulsion systems. Most particularly, the hydrogen peroxide provides motive/stationary and electrical power, and environmental conditioning to vehicles, vessels, aircraft and/or spacecraft.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Currently, motive power of carriers such as land vehicles, aircraft and/or maritime vessels require power generation which is dependent on conventional systems such as non-renewable fossil fuel or battery discharge. This power generation is inefficient and produces toxic waste products, such as carbon monoxide. Engines use the available atmosphere to combine with the fuel for combustion. Although filters or converters are used on vehicles, and scrubbers are commonly installed on board vessels, safety hazards remain problematic with these fuels. Efficiencies have increased with conventional fuels, however, with the large number of carriers in use today, even minimal amounts of an emitted toxicant becomes cumulatively handful. In addition to environmental contamination, fossil fuels such as gasoline present other problems. Fuels need to be transported to distribution centers. Several types of fossil fuels are used, which add to the logistical complexity. There is also a global limitation of the fossil fuels available which may be refined into a power source.
Within a military operation, several types of carriers are used, including vehicles such as tanks, motorcycles, trains and armored personnel carriers, aircraft such as helicopters, jets, unmanned aerial vehicles, and maritime vessels such as cargo transports, boats, swimmer delivery vehicles and warships. Generally, these carriers require differing types of fossil fuels. Transporting fuel to an operational area imposes severe logistics burdens and operational expense. Having to provide various types of fuel significantly increases this burden. In addition to the increased coordination of routing the fuels to specific locations and units, special ships and aircraft are required to transport the fuels. This decreases the available sealift and airlift capabilities for a military force structure.
At sea, fuel replenishment is logistically difficult. Underway refueling of warships requires that fuel supply ships transfer fuel while hoses are connected between the warship and supply ship. Ships must coordinate rendevous points and schedules, which may interfere with operational demands. During the refueling operation, high seas or inclement weather may increase risk for an already dangerous but necessary operation. On board maritime vessels, power systems consume the available atmosphere, or require bottled oxidizers, and emit noxious exhaust products. For maritime platforms, these toxic by-products present immediate habitability concerns. For maritime platforms such as submarines, submersibles and the like, health and safety concerns become acute. Having additional supplies of breathable air on board decreases the amount of available space useful for other purposes, such as equipment, personnel, or supplies.
Many types of fossil fuel produce a signature or residue, either thermal or chemical, which identifies the location of a carrier, such as a vehicle on land or vessel at sea. This provides an adversary with monitoring and targeting information. Additionally, power generation from many of these fuel sources does not provide a silent powering system, which also discloses the location of the carrier.
Some carriers use battery power or traditional fuel cells for propulsion, and many of the carriers which use fossil fuels for propulsion use battery power for auxiliary systems. Alternative and hybrid systems increase logistical and maintenance problems, as well as weight and integration problems. For example, battery power provided to amphibious delivery vehicles yields low energy shaft work, and hydrogen gas with acid vapors may escape into a confined living space.
Hydrogen peroxide has been successfully used as an oxidizer source for U.S. Navy torpedo propulsion systems, U.S.A.F. attitude control thruster on the X-15, and for reaction control thrusters on the NASA Scout launch vehicles and Mercury spacecraft. However, hydrogen peroxide has not been used as a sole power source for primary and auxiliary systems on carriers.
There is a need in the art to provide a consolidated non-toxic source of power. In addition to providing a uniform power source, an environmentally clean motive power source for various types of carriers and stationary systems is needed.